Pick-up and delivery system



y 1935- E. J. WHITE ET AL 2,000,154

PICK-UP AND DELIVERY SYSTEM Filed April 16, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR6 ATTORNEY.

y E. J. WHITE ET AL 2,000,154

PICK-UP AND DELIVERY SYSTEM Filed April '16, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2ATTORNEY.

y 1935- E. J. WHITE ET AL 2,000,154

PICK-UP AND DELIVERY SYSTEM Filed April 16, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3ATTORNEY,

Patented May 7, 1935 2,000,154

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIOK-UPVAND DELIVERY SYSTEM Edward JohnWhite and Arthur S. Garove,

Detroit, Mich.

Application April 16, 1934, Serial No. 720,738 8 Claims. (01. 25s-1)This invention relates to improvements in pick- Figure 4 is a section onthe line 4-4 of Figup and delivery systems, and while applicable ure 3.I of handling various types of material, is primar- Figure 5 is a frontelevation of the control ily-intended for picking up and delivering mailmember showing the housing in section.

5 bags from passing airplanes. V Figure 6 is a side elevation of Figure5, also 5 It is an object of the invention to provide a with the housingin section. relatively cheap and simple form of pick-up and F gure 7 iSa View S ar to u e HtS OW- delivery system consisting of a groundstation ing the slide in its raised position. and a travelling element;and wherein the load Figure 8 is an enlarged inverted plan view of to bepicked up from the ground station auto- Figure 6. 7 10 maticallydisengages the load to be delivered from Figure 9 is an enlarged sectionon the line 9-9 the travelling element. of Figure 6.

Another object of the invention is to provide Figure 10 is a front Viewof the trip plate, and a pick-up and delivery system wherein the travel-Figure 11 is a side view thereof. 15 ling element consists of a cablehaving a'control Referring to the drawings, the ground station 5 memberdepending therefrom; wherein the loads consists essentially of twosuitably braced conto be picked up and delivered each have a tripverging walls 2, and two spaced uprights 5 in plate secured thereto; andwherein the trip plate front-of the adjacent extremities of these walls.on the load to be delivered is supported by a Upon the upper faces ofthe latter towards their movable catch on the control member which isconverging extremities guides 3are mounted with 20 actuated to drop itstrip plate and load by the spring hinges 4 so that their adjacentmargins other trip plate secured to the load to be pickednormally extendinwardly from the walls 2 as up when the said other trip plate isengaged by clearly shown in Figure 1. 2a and 2b indicate the cable andexerts downward pressure 'upon reinforcements which we prefer to utilizeas the the top of the control member-which is then walls 2 are generallybuilt to a considerable 5 lifted from the ground station. height. V

A further object of the invention is to pro- The uprights 5, whenverticallydisposed, are '-vide a pick-up and delivery system wherein thespaced sufficiently from one another to permit ground station consistsof converging walls 'upon the insertion of a mail bag A or other packagethe upper faces of which inwardly projecting between them. Thelowerextremities of these 30 hinged guides are arranged with their inner endsuprights are pivotally mounted upon lower staalmost contiguous andterminate immediately in tionery portions 5a of the uprights by hinges6, front of the trip plate to be picked up which which, as shown inFigure 3, swing outwardly is d e y mounted on laterally p pabouthorizontal axes. Connected to each of the rights that also form a:portion of the'ground uprights 5 and to its upper extremity is a spring35 station. Thus means'are furnished for relative: which is alsoanchored to a fixed portionof the y exact guidance 0f the ble andcontrol memstation, in the present instance to arms 8 formed beriof thetravelling element into engagement integral with the walls 2. Thepurpose of the .W t t p Plate Picked p, d greater springs l is to pullthe uprights 5 outwardly into 40 -width is provided beneath the guidestopermit their positions indicated at 5b when they are 40 passage ofarelatively bulky load. r not otherwise held in their verticalpositions.

Yet another Obj O the invention l Secured to the stationary lowerportions 5a of vide such a p -up and d 'sy t W the uprights are bearings9 between which a in both the control member and the trip plate :boosterl0'is pivotally mounted. The upper porare bo Simple to manufacture andemeient in tion of the latter-is wider thanthe spacing be- 45 operation.tween the pivoted uprights 5. when-the latter are Havin thus brieflyenumerated Some Of the vertically positioned, and rests normally againstaj Objects and advantages of t invention, the verticalfaces of the saiduprights adjacent we w ll now p d to describe a preferred @111- thewalls 2. Secured to the lower extremity of bodiment of the system withthe aid of the acthe plate I0 is one. end of a spring H the oppo- 50companying drawings, in which? site extremity of which is secured to asuitably Figure 1 is a plan'view of the system. 1 located portion of thestation, in the present Figure2 is a side view of Figure 1. instance toa projection I2 extending inwardly Figure 3 is a partial front elevationon the from and integral with one of the walls 2. Conline 3-3 ofFigure 1. sequently when 'theuprights 5 are moved pivotally whichextends upwardly from each uprightfi.

Thus the uprights are normally retained in their vertical positions by atrips-plate; Formedqthrough each of the latter are two slotslB and IS;the former is an open-ended slot normally, closed at its outer extremityby a spring"actu-*' ated latch 20, which, whencontactedaon itsouterface, swings inward to permit entry into the said slot !8. ,Thetravelling element consists of a control member 2| mounted on the lowerextremity of ;a cable ;22; suspend.ed-'from ,.a moving y (notacter-described comprisinga ground station consisting of convergingvertical: walls, pivoted -gu ides-,extending towardsone-another from'theshown.). Around: the, member 2Land forming a portionthereof isatubularhousing 23 through-the top of which thecableitxextendsi.Securedinthe -hQl ng; ;8sub P ns His a guide on which aslide 26 is vertically-movable; the cable 22;,is secured to the top, oftheylatten Formed in. the underside of the guide 25 is a vertically-'1inclined transverse groove 21. Pivotedin thelower portion of the slide26 is a lever 28 the upper'extremity of which is slidable in theinclined groove 2'! as the said leverzturnsaboutzits pivotalmounting,;Formed on the lower;portion of thelever 28 -is a steppedcatch 29 whichis normally held by a spring ,3l betweentwoxopen-ended slots 39 formedinthe lowerextremity ofthe housingz23. When a trip plate 15 is insertedinto the slotsySll ,asindicated atHia in;Figurelfi the-taperedundersidepof the, catch .29 is contacted andrsuflicient pressure,exerted, uponythe. ,r-latter by the plate causes the said catchtmSWingragainSt the tension :of the spring 31; andyadmit, the said;plate. As :soon as the latter has entered suificientilmfor the slot l9to come opposite the catch 29 the latter enters theyformcrrand supports-,the trip ,plate I5 and the bag VA carriedittherebys; -IIere it mustground -station:and ;a travelling element consistalso be noted that.thejzspring 3i ,must cbe stron enough to withstand the; turning;tendency exerted upon the :catch 42 9 :by:t:he ;we .='.g=htr.of the bagA. v Itjwillalsoube'noted that When;:p1'essure. is exerted upon the top;of, thefhousing 23 upward movement of theslide126 OCCLllszWi-th:theiresult that the lever 28' is movedpivotally against the tension ofthe spring ,3 I, that is from its :position shown inhFigure'fi tothat-,shown inFigure {7. Thus, suflicient pressure exerted.- uponthe.top, of the housing-to overcomextheztensionof the spring 3I causes ther-release-ofthe-trip platefllz5;carried by, the :catch. .29.

The; operation oflthe system is briefly as follows Theyrope 22-andmemberq2l are guided by'the convergingwallsfl andthe-guides 3 sothatzthe said rope contacts .a trip plate: l5, mounted :onthe-.projections .l'l. The.10pe. presses back the latch;;20 and entersthe ,slot. -18, sol-that: .the trip plate f1 5 is then engaged asindicated .at .-l 5b 7 in Figureg'l. Continuedtravel of. the rope iorcable causes; it to bring .the upperextremity: of :the members 21 iinto, contact with ithe underside of the trip-plate. Due :to theweight=ot.the;latter and ,of the maili :bag A .depending' from-:it; andalso topthe-geffort required .to' raise. the ;trip plate :frOmiliS :proJections pal i suflicient pressure: is {exerted against the top of thehousing 23 to cause the slide .26 to be raised and the lever 28 to bemoved pivotally against the tension of the spring 3|. Then, as alreadyexplained, the catch 29 moves and drops the trip plate supported by it.Thus the action of raising one trip plate #5 off its projection llcauses the member 2| to drop the other trip plate carried by the catch29. As soon as the trip plate upon the uprights 5 is removed the latterare swung outward-by the springs l, and the booster It then swings aboutits pivotal mounting, actuated by the spring II, and imparts initialmovement to the bag A which is,bei.ng;picked up in the direction ofmovement of the cable 22 and member 2|.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention hasbeen described and shown, it isiunderstood that the construction thereofis susceptible to such modifications and alterations as fall within thescope of the appended -claims.

What we claimfis:

1. A pick-up and delivery system of the char,-

upper faces ofthe, walls, meansntending toihold theguides'in their,inwardtextending positions, pivoted transversely spaced uprights infrontof the adjapent extremitiesof the walls, a travelling element consistingof a cable having .a control member depending therefrom,-;.two tripplates having loads secured-thereto, means onthe uprights detachablysupporting one trip plate-the latter, beingsadapted to holdithe uprightsadjacent one. another, means tendingto move the uprights pivotally awayirom one another, means on-the trip plate upon the uprights for engaging-the cableso that said cable may slide through that trip plate untilsaid trip plate rests upon the contr,ol-member,,.a movable catch in thecontrol-ymember supporting thQuSGCOIld trip plate,

means -,actuated by; the weight. of the first trip plate upon ,thecontrol member-for releasing the catch from thesecond tripzplate, abooster, and

means actuating the ;-latter when itheuprights .move away fromoneanother; a

' 2. A pick-upand delivery system-comprising a plate, 38.;P1V0t9dr03t6hin the.controlc.member.

the-second trip; plate being, supported bys-athe catch, means '.on thefirst trip ,plate .for engaging thecable sothat :the latter may slidethroughrsaid trip .plate until it rests :uponuthe controbmemher,

and means in the control :meniber actuated :by the weight of ;the firsttrip iplate, thereon 1 for moving the catch pivotally andreleasing-fthesecond trip plate.

3. A pickup, and: delivery. system. comprising agroundstationiandiatravelling;element;consist- ,ingof-a cablehavinga controlmember depending therefrom, a trip plate, means on the'zgrollnd station:.detachably, supporting-.ithe rtrip plate, a

ed by thetcatchgmeansonfithe first tripi-plate for engaging the cablesothatsthe latter may slide therethrough until said trip plate restsupon the control member, the weight of the first trip plate upon thecontrol member moving the slide upwardly in the latter, said slidemovement moving the lever and disengaging the catch from the second tripplate.

4. A trip plate consisting of a plate, said plate having spacedapertures formed therethrough for detachably mounting it; upon a groundstation, said plate having an open-ended slot therein extending betweensaid apertures, a spring actuated latch normally closing the slot, andsaid plate having a second slot therethrough to receive a carryingcatch.

5. A control member consisting of a housing, a fixed guide therein, aslide vertically movable on said guide, a cable secured to the upperextremity of the slide and dependingly supporting the member, a leverpivoted on said slide, a catch on said lever, the lower extremity ofthehousing having opposed open-ended slots formed therein to receive atrip plate, a spring normally holding the catch between the slots toengage the trip plate, and an inclined slot formed transversely of theguide within the housing coacting with the lever for moving the catchpivotally from I between the slots to release the trip plate when theslide is moved.

6. A ground station consisting of converging guides, uprightstransversely spaced in front of the adjacent extremities of the guides,said uprights being pivoted to swing away from one another, springstending to swing said uprights outwardly, stops to limit the outwardmovement of the uprights, a trip plate, a load depending'therefrom, abooster pivoted beneath the uprights, means tending to move the boosterso that the upper portion thereof strikes the load and impartssubstantially horizontal motion thereto, the booster being held againstmovement by the uprights until they swing outwardly, means upon theuprights detachably engaging the trip plate so that the latter holds theuprights against outward pivotal movement, and a travelling elementadapted to engage the trip plate and remove it from the uprights.

7. A pick-up and delivery system of the character described comprising aground station consisting of two converging guides, pivoted uprightstransversely spaced in front of the adjacent extremities of said guides,a trip plate detachably mounted upon both of said uprights having apackage depending therefrom beneath said uprights, a travelling elementincluding a control member adapted to engage said trip plate and lift itofi said uprights, means moving said uprights pivotally outwards fromone another when the trip plate is disengaged, a booster the oppositemargins of which normally rest against said uprights, and means movingsaid booster rapidly between .said uprights to impart momentum to thepackage when the uprights move pivotally away from one another.

8. A pick-up and delivery system comprising a ground station includingtwo converging guides, pivoted uprights transversely spaced in front ofthe adjacent extremities of said guides, a trip plate detachably mountedupon both of said uprights having apackage depending therefrom betweensaid uprights, a travelling element including a control member adaptedto engage said trip plate and lift it off the uprights, means moving theuprights pivotally outwards from one another when the trip plate islifted therefrom, a booster which normally rests against. said uprights,means moving the booster rapidly between

